Charles adrian grant



o. A. GRANT..

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

BOX!

(No Model.)

Patented Mar. 31, T1896.

AN DREW BLBANA (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. A. GRANT.

BOX.

No. r557,120. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ADRIAN GRANT, OF MIDDLEBURG, VIRGINIA.

' BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,120, dated March31, 1896.

Application filed November 12, 1895. Serial No. 568,704. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may con/cern..-

Beit known thatl, CHARLES ADRIAN GRANT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Middleburg, in the county of Loudoun and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boxes or Crates;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, suoli as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

My invention relates to boxes or crates adapted f or the safe andconvenient transportation of eggs or other produce or inerchandise.

The object of the invention is to provide a knockdown packing box orcrate that may be conipactly folded and stored, or packed for returntransportation, into small compass relatively to its size and capacitywhen in use.

My improvement is specifically described hereinafter, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a viewin perspective ofthe box or crate with its parts secured together and locked ready fortransportation. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same with its endsremoved and concealed within the box and its sides and cover folded andsecured together. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a similar section of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthe box with its cover removed, and Fig. 6 illustrates in perspectiveand partly in dotted lines the removability of the end boards and thefolding of the hinged sides.

The reference-numeral 1 indicates the bottom of the box, providedwithend strips 2 and parallel side strips 3, the latter extending upwardlyslightly above the upper edges of the end strips 2 to permit the inwardfolding of the side boards 4. These sides 4 are secured to the strips 3,one to each strip, by hinges 5. I preferably reinforce the bottom of thebox by binding-strips 6 at both the ends and sides, as shown; but thisis not an essential feature of the construction. The bottom 1 isprovided on its upper side and near its ends with transverse cleats 7,arranged in vertical alinement with short cleats 8, secured to the innersides of the strips 3 and beveled at their upper ends 9. Each of thehinged side boards is provided on its inner side at each end with twoparallel cleats 10 and 11, beveled at their lower ends. The cleats 10are arranged in the same vertical plane as the short cleats 8, so thatthe respective beveled ends of the cleats will coincide to allow thesides 4 to be folded inwardly, as shown clearly in Fig. G. The beveledends of the cleats 11 cooperate with beveled end extensions 12 of thestrips 2 to permit the folding of the side boards 4. These beveledextensions 12 may be in the same piece with the strips 2 or madeseparate therefrom and interposed between the ends of the strips 2 and3, as shown in the drawings.

Each of the side boards 4 is preferably formed at the lower edge of itsouter side and centrally of its length with a recess 13 to receivestaples 14 projecting froml the upper edges of the respective sidestrips 3. These recesses 13 correspond in general shape to the staples14, and the latter serve a purpose which will be explained hereinafter.

15 indicates the removable end boards of the crate, adapted, when theside boards are in vertical position, to be sustained in place by theseveral cleats 7, 8, 10, and 11 and the end strips 2. Vhen the side andend boards are thus in position, as shown in Fig. 5, the crate is readyto be packed. In Fig. 3 I have shown it supplied with tiers ofpasteboard egg-cells 16, each cell or compartment being adapted toreceive a single egg. The tiers or layers of eggs are separated byremovable horizontal partitions 17 in the Well-known way, and as isindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. It will, however, be understoodthat any preferred interior packing devices maybe used, and that myimproved crate may be employed for any purpose for which it may be foundadapted.

The cover 18 is preferably provided at its sidesand ends with adepending rim or flange 19 to fit over the side and end boards of thebox, and it is provided near its side edges with opposite slots 20,through which extend staples 21, projecting from the upper edges of theside bars 4 in parallel relation to receive and retain the ends of alocking-rod 22. This rod 22 is provided centrally vwith a hasp 23adapted to take over a staple 24 driven into the top of the .cover 13and to be secured by IOO

